Guitar pedals are a great way to customize your sound and add effects to your playing. However, they can also be delicate pieces of equipment that require regular maintenance and repair. 

In this blog post, I’ll discuss the process of guitar pedal repair that will help you keep your pedals in good working condition. I strive to make this as simple as possible so that even the most novice guitarists will be able to keep their pedals well-maintained.

Here are some of the guitar pedal related articles you may want to check out too,

How to Master your Guitar Pedal Order

The 3 Best Budget Guitar Loop Pedals

Common Issues With Guitar Pedals

Guitar pedals tend to break down over time. There are a few common issues that can cause your pedal to stop working:

• Dirty or corroded jacks: When your pedal goes unused for a long time, the jacks can become dirty or corroded. This can cause your signal to sound distorted or weak. A good way to clean jacks is to use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol. You can also choose to invest in a contact cleaner that is specifically designed for cleaning electrical contacts.
• Loose screws: If you play your guitar with a lot of force, the screws that hold the pedal together can loosen. This can make the pedal rattle or produce strange noises. Loose screws are often the cause of pedals that stop working completely. The best way to prevent this issue is to check the screws regularly and tighten them if they are loose.
• Broken footswitch: The footswitch is the most vulnerable part of the pedal, as it is constantly being pressed. A broken footswitch can cause your pedal to malfunction or completely stop working. You can open the pedal and solder the footswitch back together if it is broken.
• Damaged enclosure: A damaged enclosure can cause your pedal to short circuit. This usually happens when you drop or step on it. If the enclosure is cracked, you can try to repair it with epoxy. However, if the damage is severe, you will need to replace the entire pedal.
• Faulty circuit boards: Heat, humidity or even just age can damage circuit boards. They can malfunction, make odd sounds, or completely stop working. This is a bit more difficult to fix, as you will need to solder new parts onto the board. You can also replace the entire circuit board if necessary.

These are the common issues that you will face with your guitar pedals. Now let’s take a look at how to see if your pedal needs to be repaired.

How To Check If Your Guitar Pedal Needs Repair

There are a few symptoms that can indicate that your guitar pedal needs to be repaired:

• The pedal doesn’t turn on: This is the most obvious sign that something is wrong with your pedal. If the power supply is plugged in and the pedal still doesn’t turn on, then there might be an issue with the power switch or the circuit board.
• The pedal makes strange noises: If your pedal is making strange noises, it might be due to a loose screw or a damaged enclosure.
• The sound is weak or distorted: The most common cause of a weak or distorted sound is dirty or corroded jacks. This can be easily fixed by cleaning the jacks with rubbing alcohol or contact cleaner.
• The pedal doesn’t work at all: If your pedal doesn’t work at all, it might be due to a broken footswitch or a faulty circuit board.

How To Do Your Own Guitar Pedal Repair

While it is always best to take your pedal to a professional for repair, there are some simple guitar pedal repairs that you can do at home.

1. Check the Battery

I don’t mean to be too obvious, but this is often the most common issue with guitar pedals. If your pedal is not working, the first thing you should do is check the battery. If it’s dead, replace it with a new one.

You can open the pedal’s enclosure by removing the screws on the bottom. Once you have access to the circuit board, you’ll see the battery holder. Common issues with batteries are loose connections, which can be fixed by gently tightening the connector.

Once you’ve replaced the battery, screw the pedal’s enclosure back together and try it out. If the pedal still doesn’t work, move on to the next step.

2. Install a New Battery Connector

The battery connector is in the same place as the battery. If the connector is loose, it can cause your pedal to malfunction.

To replace the connector, solder a new one in place or disassemble the pedal and install a new connector. If you are not comfortable soldering, it is best to take your pedal to a professional for this repair.

If the battery connector is not the issue, move on to the next step.

3. Look at the Power Adapter

If your pedal is plugged in and still not working, check the power adapter. The polarity and voltage of the adapter must match the pedal. If the adapter isn’t the correct voltage, it can damage your pedal.

You can check if the adapter is the correct voltage by looking at the pedal’s manual or the sticker on the back of the pedal. The adapter should be marked with the proper voltage. If it’s not, you’ll need to buy a new adapter.

A universal power adapter can be used with most pedals, so you do not have to worry about the voltage. However, these adapters are more expensive than a standard adapter.

If the power adapter is not the issue, move on to the next step.

4. Take off the Back Cover

You will need to take the back cover off the pedal to access the circuit board. You can do this by removing the screws on the bottom of the pedal. Once you’ve removed the screws, gently pull on the back cover and insulating screen until they come off.

Check to see if the circuit board has any damage or loose components. If there aren’t any, focus on the three terminals at the top of the circuit board, next to the circuit jack. If you notice it’s broken, you need to solder it back with a soldering iron.

If the circuit board is fine, the issue may be with the DC jack and the input and output jacks.

5. Clean the Jack

The jacks are the metal connectors on the pedal that you plug your guitar into. Over time, these jacks can become corroded or dirty, which can cause your pedal to malfunction.

A contact cleaner can remove any dirt or corrosion to clean the jack. Squirt a small amount of cleaner into the jack and plug the jack several times to work the cleaner into the jack.

You can also look down into the jack to see if it’s clean. If it’s not, you can use a cotton swab with a bit of contact cleaner to clean it out. After the jack is clean, reassemble the effects pedal and try it out.

If all else fails, you’ll probably have to replace the pedal with a new one. Guitar pedals aren’t usually too expensive, and you can find them for under $100.

What’s Next?

If you are interested in this topic, please do check out the guitar pedal related article on our website if you haven’t, You may want to check out this discussion about how a guitar pedal could be fixed too.